Game documentation

Traditionally the server developers package help and a minimal 'news' file system with the server download. Game developers then add their game specific information into the news files, in +help files, or other files with a different name than the server-specific 'help'.

News files usually contain information about the theme, setting, game mechanics, and rules and policies. News is sometimes called +news, +theme, +rules, and so on.

+Help files typically contain all the softcoded commands written or installed especially for a specific game.

News systems

By default, the news system is based off of text files that reside on the shell. These text files include news, plushelp, help, wiznews, and wizhelp. Depending on the platform, there are also others that may exist. Most current day server platforms also allow the definition of custom text files. Many games use these for files such as 'theme' or 'policy'.

Setting up

Initially, the news files are empty or come pre-populated with a command system such as SGP on TinyMUX. A file appears as follows:

& help

This is the main index displayed when typing the command online.  
It is always & help regardless of whether the file is news, +help, or other.

& file name

The text information goes here for '<whatever> file name'.

Tricks

The MU parser for these files displays them, by default, without ansi or function evaluation. This can be changed in the configuration files by using the helpfile config parameter on most platforms.

Any line that needs to appear blank on the MU must have a space in it. Without this extra 'invisible' space, the line will be treated as though it is not there and run together.

& help
(blank space)
This is the main index

Adding a New File

To add a new help file, open your netmux.conf file and find the helpfile section, usually located towards the end.

There, you should see something like this :

helpfile +help text/plushelp
helpfile +shelp text/staffhelp
access +shelp staff

Simply add your new help file (for example, the help file for Anomaly Jobs) in the same format as the above, like so :

helpfile +jhelp text/plusjhelp

where 'plusjhelp' is the name and 'text/' is the location of the help file. Following this, issue a @restart command inside the game, and your new help file will be in place, ready for access by anyone typing '+jhelp'.